May 4 to 10 is Mental Health Week in British Columbia.
An Ipsos poll conducted in April found that 54% of respondents found themselves feeling lonely or isolated as a result of this physical distancing time. Sixty-eight percent of Canadians between 18 to 34 years were the most impacted, but the numbers indicate other age groups feel similarly. Between 35 to 54 years of age 58 percent felt isolated.
There’s also financial worries, with another Ipsos poll showing that 40 percent of Canadians would not have any resources beyond one week if they lost their job during the pandemic.
While Canadians have participated in “herd community” by staying home to lessen physical sickness and mortalities, mental health and well being is important too in this unique and challenging time.
The Psychological First Aid Service offers “Psychological First Aid” telephone calls, free of charge, to any BC resident (19+) affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Calls are made by registered psychologists.
“Psychological First Aid is a brief (up to 30 minute) telephone consultation to provide you with information and strategies to help you cope with the stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. It is designed to help people who usually cope with daily life pretty well, but who might be feeling overwhelmed during this very stressful time.”
The service can be used as many time as needed by filling out the online request form. You can take a look at this page which offers further information about this service.
Images: MHScot & BloomingMinds
People do not “participate in herd immunity” by stayinh at home.
Whether or not a given group of people or an area achieves herd immunity is unrelated to whether they stay home or not. In fact, the more people isolate, the slower herd immunity will be achieved.
Herd immunity is the level of immunit in a community at which the rate of infection transmission drops below 1 to 1.
In other wrds, after that point, the rate of infection starts to fall.
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Editor’s Comment: Herd “COMMUNITY” is the term in this article. It refers to the fact that we are all staying at home to keep everyone safe. It is not Herd IMMUNITY. Herd Community was coined by Michael Kluckner here: https://viewpointvancouver.ca/2020/04/20/where-is-the-workplace-in-the-post-covid-world/